Nights like this
by Pain e Panic
Summary: The younger mech trembles for the proximity and for the intimacy of the gesture. "Nights like that" usually are for sparring, and silent company not for THIS, whatever thing THIS would be. [that could be considered the prequel of "Memory"]
1. Chapter 1

The lonely nights in the Witwicky garage are the worst. He spent ages alone in the utter space, in his travel from Cybertron to Earth, and long nights alone on this planet before his companions join him. But here, with his human friend, his charge, so close but out of reach, and all his cybertronian friends far away in the desert, in the NEST bases, the solitude is almost unbearable.

But then, a decepticon signal pop on his HUD.

Barricade.

Bee knows that Barricade can hide his signal better than that, but maybe the Mustang feels lonely as well.

It's not the first night they chase each other in the suburbia, and it will not be the last.

As usual they end up in the scrapyard where they fought for Sam so many months ago.

And they fight again, as the other nights, but this night Barricade's strikes seem half-hearted and the whole exercise feels like a sparring match more than a fight.

Bee would like to ask if something happened, but then again they never speak to each other in nights like that.

"Nights like that"… Bumblebee knows he shouldn't have "nights like that", he should report that to Optimus Prime. He should take advantage of the situation for capturing the decepticon, have him processed or incarcerated.

But then the Camaro will not have another "night like that" and this thought is unbearable for the young mech.

As those thoughts distract the yellow bot, the Mustang takes advantage of it and pins the younger mech beneath him.

Bee knows that he should be afraid, that he should struggle for getting free. But all he can do is vent deeply and fast, and try to do not think of they relative position. Bee's legs are between the larger mech's ones, and their interface port are close each other. The Mustang is holding the Camaro's arms close to the yellow one's helm, and Barricade face is hovering over Bee's one. Then the black mech dips his nose plate in the crook of Bee's neck and deeply inhales.

The younger mech trembles for the proximity and for the intimacy of the gesture. "Nights like that" usually are for sparring, and silent company not for THIS, whatever thing THIS would be.

"'Cade..?" he whimpers, and that sort of break the spell, and before Bee could add anything else, the decepticon is in his alt form, with his rumbling engine taking him as far as possible.

He should really go home and report this to Optimus, yes, that's what he's suppose to do. But Bee, even being a good soldier, is a teenager in human terms. So, even if he knows what he should do, he cannot take himself to do so. He also know what he shouldn't do, jerk himself at the memory of the black, bigger mech over him, but in "nights like this" he cannot take himself to stop.


	2. Chapter 2

Mikaela will not admit it out loud, but she's scared. Even more scared than when she drove around in Mission City with Bumblebee attached to the tow truck.

But then, that time she got no choice but be brave and anyway, in her life she learnt that showing despair will just lead to more sufferance. So when the policeman, she's almost sure he's an hologram, but she is not going to touch him, asks her to ride with him on a car that she recognize being the one that tried to kill her and Sam, she just tries to evaluate the situation for the moment, and decides against run away.

She sat, uncomfortably, in the Mustang, and, as the engine starts, the holograph disappears and the windows became darker leaving her alone.

A part of her is galvanized for the power behind that hood, but this is a decepticon, and so she also scared. Another part of her, the one that followed Sam inside Bumblebee when the yellow bot first saved them from this decepticon, that part is curious about of the purpose of all this.

"Human… "he starts

"My name is Mikaela" she interrupts abruptly.

"Mikaela. From my understanding, you are close to the Autobot designated as Bumblebee"

"If you believe that I will put him in any danger you are completly wrong, decepticon." she growls back

"My designation is Barricade, and I don't want to endanger him"

"Well, what do you want then?"

"…"

"…"

"I… I need you help, hum-… I mean, Mikaela"

"Help in what? Why should I help you? You tried to kill me!" she tried to glower at him, but it's hard to glower to someone when his face is no where around you and you are sitting inside to them.

"if I wanted to hurt you , I would have already done"

"Ok, then, what do you want?" her mind is spinning, but she's thinking that if she discovers what the decepticon is up to, she could alert the autobot and help them. To do so, she needs to run along with the con, and stays alive.

"The autobot designed as Bumblebee, he seems more… used…to human culture that to the cybertonian one "

"really?" she asks, blandly

"I tried to woo him in the traditional cybertronian way, but he seems confused by it"

"or maybe he is not interested…"

"no, it's not that. We run together in the night for fifteen nights, and I performed the ritual fight-dances of our tradition. He didn't react as suppose to: he fight against me, but neither with the formal way to accept nor the way to reject."

"So do you think that he is not recognizing the procedure?"

"Yes. He is the youngest of our species, and he was born during the war, so it's possible that Prime never thought to teach him our tradition." The decepticon sounds fond when he spoke of Bee, or at least, less harsh than when he mentioned Optimus.

"Why you want to woo him?" she cannot prevent herself from asking.

"Why you followed Ladiesman217?" he retorts back.

"Point taken" she murmurs more to herself than to the bot. Outside the scenery is changing, as they approach the desert.

"He is brave, bravest that any other Autobot. He kept resisting to Lord Megatron torture long enough to let Prime hide the Cube, at the end Megatron ripped off Bumblebee vocal box. And when everyone would have just decide to retire from battle and crawl in a pit, and no one would have said anything at that, the brave Scout volunteers for coming here and retrieves the All-spark. Even as an enemy, I had to recognize his value. And now that the war is over, he will be a excellent companion." His tone is scientific and try to be cold as he recount Bumblebee' story. But he seems to care. If he's lying, he is damn good to that.

"Let me see if I'm understood that properly: you want me to play cupido for you?" a moment pass, as she's sure he's checking the reference on the web, she spent enough time with Bee to recognize it.

"Yes, Primus forgive me, that's exactly what I'm asking you."

"Ok then, how do you feel about flowers?"

* * *

After the little chat, Barricade bring her back home, wait for her to get changed and drive her to Sam place for the night. He disappears just after that.

Mikaela decision of keeping her mouth shout for time being about the black Mustang seem the right choice the morning after.

Overnight, indeed, a strange flower-like metallic structure appears in Witwicky garden. Mikaela and Sam keep their distance as Bee scans it multiple time.

After that, for Mikaela's amusement, and Sam's incredulity, Bee take it into the garage. The yellow bot will spend the next couple of days admiring the sculpture and caressing the petals.


	3. Chapter 3

_He was in the scrapyard again, and again the Mustang took advantage of it and pinned the younger mech beneath him._

 _And Bee was again venting deeply and fast, lying on the ground with his legs between the larger mech's ones, and with their interface port close each other._

 _Again the black mech dipped his nose plate in the crook of Bee's neck and deeply inhaled. Barricade's talons went to caress the scarred cables on Bee's neck._

 _And then they were in Tyger Pax and the decepticon tore Bee's voice box,_ and Bee woke up wingding.

Usually Bee doesn't allow himself to recharge soundly in Witwicky garage. That means that usually he doesn't dream.

Not unless he's energy drop too a low level.

When he cannot get any energon he had to rely on the energy he can convert from the sun. Except this week was quite cloudy, and Sam appointments and errands keeps him from going to NEST for a cube of energon. Also, said appointments and errands drained his energy reserves, so in retrospect it's no surprise he was recharging so deeply.

But still, he regrets it when he wake up barely retains a scream. He can feel himself shivering and trembling. The dream, in conjunction with the general exhaustion, brings tears in his optics. He feels the walls of the garage closing around him, and he flight off the metal box and on the street so fast to feel dizzy.

His tires scream on the asphalt as he barely see where he is going. And then usual black police car his behind him, and then on his side, pushing him and leading, driving him in their usual place.

And that is too much for the young mech. The dream, or better said nightmare, was based on one of his worst memory: Megatron making him watch as the deceptions kills his squadron, Megatron torturing him and ripping his voice box. His processor is trying to remind him that Barricade is the enemy, that the decepticons are bad, and cruel, and he cannot stay here with Barricade!

He transforms and points his cannons to the Mustang.

"Stay away from me, decepticon!" his just-healed voice box almost fail him, and his optics are filled of tears, so Bumblebee is well aware that he looks far from scaring or daunting. Still, the Mustang pauses, and move to his bipedal form, arms hold high in the universal surrender gesture. "Bumblebee…" he started, slowly stepping closer.

The youngling hiccups, and steps back, his cannons still aiming to the enemy but shaking too much to be any threat.

"Stay away…" Bee repeats in a begging whisper.

Bee watches through the tears as the other mech slowly steps back, turns on his heels and in a whirl of gears reassumes in his alt form and leaves.

The yellow scout waits for the engine rumble to disappear. He sluggishly drives his way back to Witwiky's place, and manages to enters in the garage before reassume his bipedal form crumbling on the ground in a fetal position and crying himself to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

This time when the car approaches her, she jumps in without needs for an invitation.  
But this time the decepticon sounds less friendly: "It doesn't work" he growls.

"W-What?" she asks confused, and a bit scared that she could have underestimate the peril.

"THE FLOWER!"

"no…" she starts cautiously "no, you are wrong!" a bit more convinced.

She thinks back to Bee's expression when he took the flower into the garage, his room, how his digit kept caressing the petals. "He loved it, he spent two days looking at that, touching the petals, and sighing in a dreamy way. I'm sure you hit the score with that!"

"HE CRIED!"

"What? When?what did you do to him?" she asks incredulous (and a bit pissed for the mech attitude).

"I followed him to the scrap yard, as usual, and there he pointed his weapons to me, and he was crying…" Barricade still growling, but at least stopped to yell. "I'd never seen him so distressed…" he adds slowly and quietly, almost mouthing to himself.

"no… I saw how he reacted to the flower, I'm sure there is another explanation…"

"like what?!" this time the growl is tamed by hope. He could be cute, if she lets herself forget how dangerous he can be.

"I could have a plan…" she smiles.

* * *

Later that night, she admits to herself that she is not sure of her plan. Took her a while to convince Sam and Bee that the drive-in movie was a good idea. Sam kept look to Bee for permission, and Bee… Bee looked as the usual self, if one ignored his twitching door wings. Even now, parked in the drive in, she can feel his disquiet in the little jerks in the seat. Sam noticed it as well, if the soothingly caresses on the steering wheel are any clue.

And then a black car parks in the nearest spot on their right. Bumblebee jerks and is engine revs up, and he would had fly is she hasn't pull the handbrake. She keeps it pulled, and starts to hush the young mech "Bee, everything is ok… Bee, let him explain himself, would you?"

The Camaro engine revs in despair, the radio sending only statics. Then from the Mustang arrives clicks and chirps, and that seems to tame a bit the yellow car.

More chirps, this time from Bee, makes Mikaela realize that they are speaking in their own language.  
She pats encouraging Bee's dashboard. And then she assist as a blonde boy, barely older than Sam or herself, appears in the passenger seat of the Mustang.

The Policeman, the one that invite her for a ride days ago, appears just after that on the driver seat. This time she have time to study his features, also because this time she is not in danger. The man, black short hair and brown-ish almost red eyes is in his late twenties or first thirties. He's muscular and in his leather jacket is as daunting as with the police uniform. His body size make the blond teenager looks even leaner and slenderer.

The blonde, that Mikaela is assuming being Bee's holoform, Optimus refers to those as holoform, rights?, is talking, but without face the older man. No, his piercing blue eyes are trained on the movie projected on the screen. Now he is wringing his hands and he shuts his eyes closed, and Mikaela would admire the details of the holographic projection, if she wasn't so concern for her friend. She has no idea what the young man is saying, but suddenly Barricade's holoform hits the steering wheel, and Bee winces and his engine revs again in a pitiful way.

Sam seems ready to dismount and stomps to the black car to rescue is own guardian's holoform. But she stops him as Barricade sighs and turns back to the blonde teenager, placing an hand on the smaller one shoulder. She cannot hears them, nor reads either of their expressions as the decepticon hide Bee' face to them. But whatever he is saying it's working, as the car around them relax, and his engine revving became quieter and almost sweet.

Mikaela and Sam stay still, pretending to watch the movie but both painfully concentrated on the interaction of the two holoforms in the other car. For a while the only sound in the car is Bee's revving engine, that slowly turns from quite and sweet to content and amused.

In the other car, the younger one is now smiling shyly to the other man. He bends his head and looks at Barricade through his lashes, blushing adorably as he do that.  
And then Barricade moves slowly forward and Mikaela holds her breath waiting for the kiss and…

... and Sam opens the other car's door and pulls the decepticon out of it. And then stares at him, unsure of how to procede…

"Ladiesman217, release me now!" is the daunting growl from the man. Sam silently glares at him, and then Bee is pushing himself between the two, facing the one that is supposedly his charge.

"Sam, what are you doing?" Bee whispers and then Mikaela is giggling and Sam is just blushing and sputtering "he… you… the first date… and you… he will hurt you…." and now Mikaela is laughing so hard because she remembers that same boy running from that same decepticon no so much time ago.

But she's also amused, because Sam got this protective flair in him, that apparently is bursted up by his own guardian.

And so she finds herself to step in, pulling her boyfriend away from the two holoforms, adding for good measure a "don't worry Sam, 'Cade will not hurt Bee. Otherwise I will dismantle him down to the screws." A glance to the decepticon, who nod to her, confirms that he's taking the threat seriously.

Good that.

She leads Sam to the Camaro as the blond holoform turn to lean a feather-like kiss on Barricade cheek, before disappears and drive them home.

Her plan was great!


	5. Chapter 5

that is like the second time I'd ever tried to write something rasy... I apologize if it's offend anyone (Warning: consensual sex mechxmech)

* * *

Again in the scrapyard.

Again sparring.

But this time is Barricade to be pinned down. When Bee realizes that he is astraddle the other mech, he whines and make to pull back. He's shivering, and that make him feels like is falling. His arms run to sustain him, grabbing the first handholds available, that results to be the black mech chest plate, just above the spark chamber. Barricade's hands flight to support the younger mech, sustaining his hips. When the the black talons rise to caress him, the yellow bot realize that the other one's hands span his waist, his whole waist, encircling him completely. That takes the the breath out of Bee, and makes is processor spin and his door wings flutter.

Then the Mustang starts to grind his interface port against the Camaro crotch, unsure at first, but growing more confident at each thrust.

Cade's talons hold Bee's hips still, digging deep in the cables behind the legs junctions.

"'Cade, please…"

"please what, little one?"

"more…"

"I don't think so…"

"What?"

Bee pulls away, confused.

"Not with the little voyeurs back there…"

"Oh, come on Bad Boy! You shouldn't have start that if you weren't willing to go on, you know…"

"Little bit of an exhibitionist, aren't we?"

"It's fine, we always make out on his hood, that's only fair" Is the yelled contribute from Mikaela, from her hideout behind a car

"I see…" Is the only answer from the decepticon, before he lets a talon travels up behind Bee's helm and leads the younger's mech forehead against his own.

"Are you sure Little Bee, is that what you want?

"Please 'Cade, please…" Bee should be ashamed of how needy his phrase sounds, but he cannot take himself to care.

"Open your port for me then…" the lust in Cade's tone sends shivers down his back strut and makes his door wings flutter. That, and the talon running on the ridge of his valve, teasing him as his valve lubricates itself and clenches around nothing. Bee's body is aching for Cade, and the damn decepticon is there teasing him… But this is a game that can be played both ways…

Bee's fingers find the pressurized spike and start to fidget at it as with his other hand the younger both starts to tease the cabling of his former enemy hip.

/Primus! Hide will have a fit if he ever discover about this/ the young mech thinks briefly, before erase his mentor from his processor and concentrates on the situation in hand. Especially since the black one had used his moment of distraction for flip them over again, and now Bee is lying on his back again. But this time the other mech is forcing his legs spread open, and then, with no notice, the talons are dip into his valve, and Bee arches his back as the pleasure and the pain obfuscated his processor.

Cade's strong arm is suddenly around his waits, crushing his midsection against the black, broader chest.

Bee's hands fight of an handhold, and he ends up in the cabling behind the black door wings.

The decepticon moans, and the talons start to scissor in the younger one's valve.

The young autobot is aware that his temperature is raising to dangerous levels, but never in the pit is going to confess that. Instead he squeeze the spike of the other, and lead it close to his valve. The black mech removes his talons from it to insert his painfully pressurized cable when, out of the blue, Bumblebee's communicator turn on, and Optimus voice fills the Scout processor.

"Bumblebee reports to the NEST, we need you for the next operation ASAP"

As Bee growls, he looks apologetical to Cade: "they call, I need to go…"

"Are you kidding me, right?" Is the frustrated growl from the decepticon.

He looks mad, and the autobot cannot leave without try first to tame him.

"I know, I know, I'm sorry… I will make amends next time, I promise" is the sweet answer of the yellow mech. With that, the Camaro collects Sam and Mikaela and runs away in the night.

"I really hope that whatever Optimus need you for will wort this blue-balls, dude" Sam's comment reflect perfectly Bee's feeling.


	6. Chapter 6

Mikaela is waiting for 'Cade. She turns to each and every black car, hoping that the decepticon will show up. She is mad at him, for not giving her a way to contact him!

And then, when she almost has lost her hope, she finds him parked in front of her door.

She runs to him, "Where are you been? Damn, Barricade, we need a way to contact you!"

"Calm down little human, or you will have a glitch, or whatever your species can have…" is the annoyed answer of the decepticon.

"Bumblebee was in a mission for Prime, no reason for me to stick around… Is he back, by the way?" Barricade's tone pretends easiness, and in any other moment Mikaela will just enjoy how cute the black mech is, but not today.

"Barricade… He's back, but… but…."

"But what?" the decepticon growl, and she knows that that is partially because his patience is short and partially because now he starts to be scared from her comportment. She forces herself to breath, and then she gives him the news "He is back, but he was injured in the battle…"

The only answer she receive is a painful rev of his engine and then, in a screech of tires, they are running away from her house.

Everything is blur and then they are in front of Sam's house, and almost on the top of said boy.

"What the….?"

"Come inside ladiesman217!" the decepticon all but order.

"Sam" she calls, trying to reassure her boyfriend.

"So you find him.." is the timid greeting from the boy to her.

"Yep" she answer

"What now?" Sam asks puzzled.

"Take me to the autobot HQ" is the order from the black Mustang. To Mikaela he sounds both scaring and scared at the same time.

"No way decepticon!" is the quick and unespected retort from her boyfriend.

"Sam!"

"What? He is the enemy!"

"He is Bee's boyfriend!"

They yell a bit longer but she wins this match, and that is the name of the game.

* * *

They don't arrive any close to the entrance of the NEST. Even with Cade's stealth ability, the alarms go off at the first gate and by the time they are in the car park, Ironhide and Will's team are aiming at them.

Sam is the first one out of the car, very high hands and very harmless attitude.

Mikaela follows suit, and the two of them position themselves between their friends and the decepticon.

"Hold your fire" calls Bee, and Mikaela and Sam are synchronized in sighing in relief.

It last only a moment. Bee's looks tired and ready to collapse, and Cade's instinct is to run to him for helping is mate.

In a blink Hide is pointing his weapons to the decepticon, so close that he cannot miss, and then Bee is putting himself in the shot's trajectory, so close that he cannot be missed. He forces the cannon toward the ground, and so the shot, that the weapon specialist cannot restrain, hits the younger mech in the leg instead that in the chest.

But with all the injury he already receive, the hit takes his toll on the yellow bot, that starts to crumble on himself. Only Cade's arms saves him from a severe fall.

"Bumblebee!"

Mikaela watch helpless as the black decepticon cradles her friend in his arms, and then the red optics shine ferociously as he yell "where in the pit is your medic?"

Slowly a weak hand makes its way to Cade's battle mask "you came…" is the feeble remark from Bumblebee.

That tames completely the black mech "Of course I came, little one… Now hold on as your lazy doctor arrives and fixes you, ok?"

Bumblebee chuckles weakly "If he finds out that you define him lazy you will be so dead!"

"Bumblebee, you're not supposed to leave the berth!" Ratchet yells as he approaches.

Mikaela can see the exact moment when the docbot realize that the mech that's holding their young scout is not a friend, and that all the others got their weapon strained on the couple, and he braces himself for a fight.

"Ratchet, please, he will not hurts me, or anyone in this base, right Bad Boy?" Bee would sound maybe more reasonable if his optics weren't fading, and all his being shivering.

Mikaela knows that that will not be enough. The situation is critical, and Sam is just standing there, useful as a screen door on a submarine.

So she runs to the docbot. "They are together!" she says, hoping that will help everyone to understand.

"What do you mean with 'together'?" Asks Will, from his position at the feet of Ironhide.

Sam decides to became useful fo once, and intervene "Like they're screwing each other, you know?"

"They are in love" She yells. She can hear Will asking Hide if they species really can have sex, but her attention is trained on the doctor.

Ratchet gives a long glare to her, and then a even longer one to the couple behind her. Then he sighs and murmurs something about horny younglings under his breath.

Then he stand up in front of the couple, just on Ironhide firing line. "Let's take the youngling inside, ok? And if your little decepticon's brain believes that you will be able to arms anyone here, I will dismantle you down to the screws."

Mikaela can only watch as a scared Barricade, with a weary Bee in his arms in a bridal style, follows the docbot into the NEST base.


	7. Chapter 7

Bee is sure that's not fair. Those mech around him, they were his guardians, they are his guardians, they shouldn't bite his head off, especially when is already under the weather. To be fair, only Ratchet and Ironhide are yelling at him, Optimus is just staring at him in disbelief and disappointment. And probably that is what make everything worst.

Cade left one hour ago, he resist long enough, but clearly he wasn't welcome, and he used the excuse of taking the humans home for leaving without being chased away.

"A DECEPTICON! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? THAT'S DEFECTION!" Hide yells, and Bee winces.

From his place on the med berth, Bee looks to the others mech around him. Hide is still yelling about his betrayal and Ratchet is nodding in agreement. "No…" Bee tries weakly. How can Hide think something so awful about him?

The youngling scoots over against the wall behind the berth and he pulls his legs to his chest and hugs himself as his wings shakes against the wall.

He cannot force himself to face the other mechs now, especially when he realize that his optics are filling of washer fluid. But then Optimus' hand enter in his field of view, and get placed under the yellow one's chin, as the older mech gently force the youngling to look at him.

"Bumblebee, explain yourself, little one…"

"Megatron is dead" Bee starts, "Megatron's dead, that should mean that the was is over, right? Even if some decepticon are still around, and maybe there will be a new warlord, Megatron is dead" and he doesn't care if his words are thick of tears, he needs to make them see his point.

"Kiddo…" Ironhide starts, uncertain of how to proceed.

"He promise that he will not join the other decepticons, if they arrive and declare war again. He will be on our side…" Bee thinks back to their conversation at the cinema, of how Cade promised him that he would not let any other decepticon hurt him, how he promised Bee to fight on his side and never again against him.

"Little one, he is a decepticon, you cannot trust him" Ratchet says softly, sitting on the berth by Bee's legs.

"You are wrong…I feel in my spark that I can trust him…I feel… I believe he is my One…" Bee establish eyes contact with the docbot, trying to make him see that he believes in what he's saying.

"NO!" Hide yells again, "You're just saying that because he is the only one on this planet you can frag with, your feeling are biassed by this, they are not true"

"Hide, please…" Bee tries, but he recognize the tone of the older mech, the mech that was a father to him, it's the same tone of 'you cannot understand now but I'm doing this for your wellbeing' that the older mech used all his formation. "I love him…"

"I'm sure you does, kiddo, but that doesn't change the fact that you cannot trust him. You will never see him again, ok? Swear to us that you will not meet him again, or, Primus helps me, I will keep you lock in here till you rust"

"No please, Optimus, say something, please!" Bee tries to tune to the only one that can talk hide off something.

"You hear your guardian, little one, I know that you cannot see this, but this is for you own good." Optimus' words are suppose to be soothing, but Bee would only starts to cry and yell. He cannot do that, though, as that will only convince them that he still a youngling. But he cannot give up on Cade without a fight. They just start dating, but Bee's spark already belong to the other.

"Ok, that enough, Bumblebee needs to rest now" Ratchet shoos the other two older mech out of the med bay, and leads the yellow mech to lay down patting him on the helm.

Bee lets himself believe that at least Ratchet is on his side, till the moment the docbot dismisses himself with a "Sleep now, I'm sure you will grow out of this fixation for the decepticon soon."

Bee curls on his side and starts to plan how to make thing work.

He will need Mikaela's help.


	8. Chapter 8

"Ok" she said "tell me again about these cellphones"

"They are not cellphones" the black mech answers. "They are two DPH or Devices for Portable Holoform. It was very hard to get them."

"What are they for?" Mikaela asks bewildered.

"The purpose of these device is to take an holoform in a region were our integrated projectors cannot arrive." Barricade sounds so proud of his simplified explanation, that Mikaela is almost ashamed of her lack of understanding

"What?" She resolves in asking.

"My holoform is made mainly of light and other electromagnetic fields that create the illusion of a separate being. But it still created and emitted from my body. If I cannot see a spot, I cannot create an holoform there. But when I connect that cellphone-like device, it will projects in its surrounding, seconding my needs. But I need you to take it close to Bee's holoform, so that the two projection will be able to interact and we will be able to communicate without interferences from his guardians."

"And why two devices?" She asks again

"Bumblebee can connect to the second device, so if you have the first one with you, and ladiesman217 got the second, we could go for what internet refers to as 'double date'"

"oh" is all what she manages to say, but a grin is spreading all over her face.

* * *

The young blond boy on her side looks nervous and pale.

She knows he is just a projection from her cybertronian friend outside, but she knows that this things can be damn accurate.

The boy, Bee, is wearing an oversized black sweater over a yellow vest and and skinny yellow jeans tucked inside black combat boots. He is definitely cute, if you ask Mikaela.

He is nervously playing with the herm of the sweater, and keeps looking around trying to find Sam with Cade holoform.

The plan was to have Sam with Bee's device and her with Cade's one, but her boyfriend asked her to swap. She suspects he went for the speech 'hurt him and you will die' but she let him go anyway. It amused her anytime this protective side of him!

Cade and Sam arrive, and Bee arms are around the talker man in no time. "I missed you so much!" He murmurs against Cade black t-shirt.

Sam takes her hand and distracts her from the scene in front of them. It last just a moment, then she turns back to them to see Cade's hands caress Bee's cheeks, and the older man kisses the younger one forehead.

"We cannot stay too long" the decepticon says, and as Bee starts to complain, he hushes him with a "you still unwell, you should exert yourself so much."

"I'm fine..." The autobot tries to say, "it's just..." Bee sounds like he's talking around a lump in his throat, and Cade wraps an arm around him trying to sooth him.

"Why they cannot understand that have to choose between you and them is breaking my spark?" His eyes are filled with tears now, and is obvious who he is speaking of.

Mikaela heart breaks hearing how young and in despair he sounds, but is Sam that first speaks to reassure him. "They will come around, Bee. They are reasonable, they just need time... You know? Like my parents that were all against you guys, and now are choosing christmas present for all the gang!"

Bee looks up to his best friend at that, and Mikaela can see hope in his blue eyes.

"Now" Sam continues, "do you guys can eat? Because I'm starving!"

* * *

They are having fun. It should be weird, hanging around with the holoform of two aliens, allegedly enemies, actually lovers, but it feels exactly how going out with other human teenager. Even better, as the maturity level at their table is keep higher than usual thanks to Cade and Mikaela. Sam and Bee, on the other hand, are fighting over the last chip.

As Bee portend in hand to grab it, they notice that his fingers are translucent. At the start Mikaela is just puzzled, but when her gaze turn up the decepticon, she realise that the situation could be worst than what she expected.

Cade looks concerns and scared as he grabs Bee's hand in his one of his own, and cups his face with the other. "You should have said something, little one..." The whisper in a soft scolding.

"I'm fine..." The young boy answer weakly, but when he stands Mikaela can see him shiver. Cade rushes to his side and wraps his arm around the lean waist, sustains him.

"Let's got back to the car" Mikaela suggests. But Bee is already shaking his head. " I'm sorry, I don't think I can manage to arrive so far..."

"Toilet" Cade all but commands, and starts leading the group to the closest toilets.

There he just kiss Bee forehead, and whisper "let it go, everything will be fine, I'm parking just on your side.."

Bee looks weaker than before and not completely there. Cade asks Mikaela for the DPH in her pocket, the one connected to Bee. And he switch it off. Bee just disappears, and then Cade switch off his own as well, with a soft "I'll see you at the car park".

* * *

Mikaela arrives breathless at the car park, Sam just behind her, in time for hearing Cade start panicking "come on, little one, stay with me... Bee, please!"

"What's going on, Cade?" She asks

"His energy level just drop, and he... He is too weak..." to Mikaela, he sounds really distressed now, and if ever she got any doubt about his feeling for the younger bot, they would evaporate in this same moment.

"So what's happened now? Should I call Ratchet?" Sam asks.

"Sam no, they will never let me out again, please" the yellow bot whisper painfully. "I just need some more time in the sun and I will be fine..."

"It will not be enough, it will be night soon. Please, let me help you there" Cade asks earnestly

"..."

"Bee, please!" Cade insists, and the younger one sighs.

"They will attack you, I don't want you to have to fight them... If Sam drives I can arrive at NEST." Bee words are slurring together, and Sam and Mikaela look at each other trying to come up with a solution.

"Let me tow you half way, please little one!" the decepticon is pleading now, and when all Bee manage to answer is a pained growl, Mikaela just runs to Cade trunk and picks the line from there.

Sam helps her to fasten the younger mech front bumper to the Mustang's back, and then the painful ride to NEST starts.

Mikaela is riding Cade, and she keeps murmuring him that Bee will be fine. Sam is riding Bee, and from the rear mirror Mikaela can see him patting the dashboard.

When finally they get Bee to the medbay, the young mech is unresponsive, and Ratched yells to the humans for fatiguing him so much.

But Bee is safe now, and he will be better soon. Or at least that is what Mikaela keeps saying to herself.

* * *

Note:

Sorry fo the delay in the update. I'm not sure if you are reading this story, the lack of feedback is a bit demoralizing...

Hope you are enjoying it anyway!


	9. Chapter 9

Bee is leaning into Cade embrace.

They, or better their holoforms, are just outside the NEST base sensors radius, sitting inside the Mustang.

The blonde kisses the older man playfully, and the other respond enthusiastically, sliding his hands under Bee's black jumper.

They don't need to breath, so when Bee realizes that there are black spots in is field of view, he understands this date is almost over.

He sighs, and Cade looks at him in understanding. The older man takes Bee's hand in his own and lead it to his lips to kiss gently Bee's knuckles. Bee cannot avoid to tease him "Where did you learn that, Bad Boy?" but as he speaks, he notices that his own fingers are not the only translucent ones.

"Cade? your holoform…"

"Don't worry for me, babe. I will be fine… I'm more concerned about your energy levels… You should go to Ratchet, little one" Cade says carefully

"Looks like you could use a docbot as well…" Bee murmurs, but the black in his vision is too much, and suddenly he's back into the base, laying on the berth in his room. When he tries to stand, the dizziness almost knocks him out.

He needs energon. And probably he needs to speak with Ratchet as well. But energon first.

HIs approach to the energon dispenser is painfully slow as he tries to reset his gyroscopes and fights against the dizziness. He's almost there, when his legs give up. Takes him couple of minutes to realize that the confusion around him increase, and then drop as someone gently scoops him. Bee's too weak to completely understand, but he is pressed against a black chest, and the smell and the electromagnetic field are familiar. "Cade…" he murmurs.

"I knew that was going to happened, what did he do to you? where are you injured?" Is the growl from the black mech. "Hide" his brain acknowledge.

"YOU DID BELIEVE I WAS HIM?!" Hide sounds shocked, but Bee cannot tell if it's for being mistaken for a Decepticon, or if his mentor is more concerns for Bee's processor condition. Bee's definitely concerned for his processor himself, but the dark spots are back, and Bee's too tired to fight against them.

"Kiddo?… BUMBLEBEE!" calls Hide, shaking yellow youngling in his arms, but Bee cannot bring himself to answer as he succumbs to the darkness.

When he come back, he is welcomed by the sound of the machines in Ratchet's medbay.

Said docbot is at the end of the berth, speaking softly with Optimus and Ironhide.

"… pre-bonding. It's the only explanation."

"What does it means?" Asks Hide in a growl

"Means that his spark belong to the decepticon" Ratchet says bitterly "but because of his loyalty to us he's not letting the bond grow. Because of our reaction, our little Bumblebee is going to die of a broken spark, and probably will take Barricade with him"

The idea of Cade dying because of him is unbearable for the young mech in the berth, and he lets out a shaky sigh. Immediately the three older mech are aware of him, and of his distress.

"Hey, kiddo…" Hide starts cautious.

"He's going to die, and it will be all my fault" Bee sobs out.

"No, kiddo, you cannot know if it will happen…" Ratchet tries to comfort him, but the yellow mech his shaking his helm.

"No, no… its already started… his holoform was disappearing as well.."

"You where still meeting him, didn't you?" Hide is back to be angry now, and Bee knows that is easier for his mentor just blame the decepticon. "I'm going to find that Con, and I'll make him pay" Hide says, and Bee was expecting something like that, but it hurts nevertheless. He wonders how he can alert his mate. This thought makes his spark sinks, because feels like betraying his family, but he cannot let Cade down.

The young mech his distracted from this thoughts from a wrench thrower to his mentor.

"Ironhide" Ratchet growls dangerously "which part of 'because of our reaction' wasn't clear for you? You are hurting him!"

"Ratchet, what can we do?" Optimus asks in his usual solemn way.

"Let the two of them complete their bonding, there are no other options" the docbot answers, and Bee needs a moment to understand what that does it means.

"I see" Optimus says. "Hide, you will indeed find Barricade, and you will bring him here. We will have a word with him, and if he'll disavow his faction, we will welcome him."

"But Optimus…"

"No, Ironhide! My friend, I know that is hard, but we need to accept him for Bumblebee sakes.

Now, go, and fetch him" Optimus tone turns in order in the last bit, and Bee vents, and for the first time since this story began, he feels his spark lighter.


	10. Chapter 10

Mikaela is concerned for her decepticon friend.  
At first she'd attributed his mopey behaviour to Bee's health condition, but now she starts to wonder if something is wrong with him as well. He arrived two days ago, after a date with Bee, and he is parked in front of her house since then, answering to her question with monosyllabic grunts.  
But today, this evening, in the dark of the night, with no one awake in the neighbourhood, she is going to get answer.  
"Cade, what's going on? Are you sick?" she asks him gently.  
Whatever answer he could have had, is lost in the thunder of a black Topkick's motor approaching.  
And then this sound is replaced by the sound of transforming gears, followed by the rumble of Ironhide voice "We need to speak, decepticon!"

Barricade transforms in his bipedal form as well, and get his weapon ready for a fight.  
Mikaela wonders what she could do to prevent the fight and whom is going to win if she fails in doing so.  
But then Barricade sways, and his legs give up.  
"Oh, Primus" she hears Hide mumble as he grabs the other black mech from the waist and help him standing.  
"Cade?" she asks concerned.  
"He'll be fine, once that I'll take him to Ratchet and even more, to Bumblebee… come on, son, let's roll out" he ends softly as he pushes the decepticon toward the street.  
Barricade complies, and transforms back into his alt mode.  
And then, in a parallel of what happened in the past after the double date, Mikaela runs to Cade's boot, and uses the cable from there to connect Barricade to Hide.

Hide then tows a willing and subdued Cade towards the NEST HQ. Again Mikaela rides on the leading car, and meanwhile she wonders if she should call Sam. But to say what? Does she have any idea of what's going on? No, so there is no point in waking him up… but then again, they are going to NEST, maybe he should ask him to join them, but with which car?  
She is so lost in her thought that, when the Autobot starts to speak, she jumps.

"I didn't believe in what Ratchet was telling me… I mean, he is a decepticon, I was sure he was just playing with my youngling. When I adopted Bee he was so small… I guess that a part of me will always see him like that little newsparked that fitted in one of my hands… And now, he found is sparkmate, and I almost broke his spark not acknowledging that…"

"What's a sparkmate?" she asks abruptly.  
"a single spark, divided between two mech. They need to be together to survives… this link of spark, or souls to use the human term, even if it's the strongest, is not the only link that can generate between two bots.  
Bee's spark is trying to pull towards his other half, the decepticon one, even if was still linked to our family bond, and that almost kill our little Bee…  
Oh, Primus, I was so sure that that was only adolescent angst, and an unhealthy fixation for the only bot on this planet that Bee didn't have a familiar bond to…. and this is killing him, them… If Cade is sick as well, is only because his other half is dying … Oh, Primus, I'm killing my youngling…"  
Mikaela is speechless for a minute, her mind is running to process and understand all this new information. But after recollecting her thoughts, she's fast in reassuring the distressed father "I'm sure Bee will not hold a grudge against you. You are doing the right thing now, and that is all what is matter"  
The rest of the travel pass quietly, as both the girl and the bot think on what just happened and what will happen next.

When they arrive to NEST, Ironhide transforms and waves to the soldier guarding the gates, and them let them in, even if their scanners can read the presence of an enemy.

Cade is slower to transform, and Hide have to drag him halfway through the door and into the medbay. But when he sees Bee, lying on a berth, crowded by machines to monitor him, Cade stands straighter and rushes to the berth side, grabbing his lover hand as it was a lifeline.  
As Mikaela watches the decepticon shoulders falling, she realizes that this little sprint drained all his energy reserves. Fortunately, Ratchet is there, and help the black mech to lie down next to his sparkmate.  
The decepticon then gently cups Bee cheek-plate, but the yellow bot doesn't acknowledge his presence. "It's too late?" Cade asks in a whisper that almost breaks Mikaela hearth. She wishes she called Sam, because if really Bee is going to die tonight, Sam should have the right of saying goodbye. And she really could use a hug now.

But then Ratchet surprises her, and Cade as well, she supposes, patting his ex-enemy helm. "don't worry, son, here, open your chest plate"  
Then Ratchet manhandle Bee to face the decepticon, and manually forces open the yellow plates on the youngling chest. It's the first time she'd ever seen a spark, and to be fair, she cannot stare at it without her eyes start to tears, and thinking about it, that's the real soul of her friend, she should not stare, probably. But then Ratchet is gently pressing Bee's chest against Cade's one, and the two sparks start to move and interlace, and looks to her like they are dancing around each other. Bee's one is smaller, and slower, but as the other one starts to poke and to round it, it grows stronger ad brighter.

Then Bee starts to twitch and stir, and then one of his hands is grabbing Cades one, that was still lying on the yellow bot's cheek.

"Hey, Bad Boy, fancy to meet you here…" he whispers.

Then the reality seems to hit him, and Mikaela assists in awe how he stirs to meet his friends' eyes, starting from Optimus and ending with Hide, fear and hope both on his face.

Mikaela feels her eyes fill with tears, as the weapon specialist runs to the berth and hugs the smaller mech, apologizing for his behaviour.  
It's six in the morning when she finally gives up and grabs her phone.  
"It's me… yeah, I know that very late, actually is early in the morning… It's just… no, I'm no in trouble, I just... I wanna say that I love you, dad…  
yes… see you at home"


End file.
